A Liberian cargo ship has been seized in Auckland after an overseas creditor filed court action to recover a substantial debt.
The Annapurna berthed in Auckland yesterday amid claims its 23 Burmese crew have been unpaid "for some time".
It was immediately boarded by Auckland High Court bailiffs and Buddle Findlay lawyers to serve court papers on behalf of Japan creditor Aozora Bank.
The ship had been anchored near Rangitoto Island since Friday.
Its owner, Eastwind, is believed to owe nearly $80 million on its fleet, although the level of debt against the Annapurna has not been made public.
The Annapurna was searched by police when it arrived in Auckland to investigate reports of a missing crewman, who is believed to have been lost overboard 6400 miles from Auckland. He is feared dead.
Eastwind filed for bankruptcy in a New York court in June and had been dogged by unpaid fuel bills and seized vessels.
Buddle Findlay partner Sherridan Cook said once the ship was sold, any unpaid wages would be paid to the crew before the creditor was paid. "Arresting a ship is just a like a mortgagee proceedings against a house. This happens to be a boat. It's a bit more exciting obviously, because it's a ship that's coming into port."
The new owner of the ship could either employ the crew or the crew may be repatriated. "The crew's looked after."
A shipping industry source said: "These guys haven't been paid for quite a long time."
Detective Senior Sergeant Steve Breach said the missing crewman a 45-year-old Burmese widower was last seen alive on July 14, four days into the ship's journey to Auckland from Chile.
"There's nothing there that we found to suggest that foul play was involved. It was pretty rough conditions on that particular day."
Mr Breach said because the incident happened outside New Zealand waters, Interpol would send the inquiry information to relevant authorities in Myanmar.
He said that when police boarded the vessel the crew had complained about unpaid wages.
"All they want to do is get their pay, get the money owed to them and an airfare back to Burma. That's their main focus."
Immigration officials and shipping agent representatives from ISS McMay met the crew last night.
